Ever had that time when ...

14 Replies - 2278 Views - Last Post: 19 March 2008 - 08:14 AM

Programmer's Block

Posted 14 March 2008 - 08:26 AM

You just can't either motivate or can't think of what to write next? Ever lose that motivation and reason that you got into writing programs in the first place? I know that for some that may never come, but for us that don't revolve around programming (most of the people that write code), what do you do to get back into the creative mode of automating everything?
I've got this massive program that I've written that does everything that was spec'd and then some. Pretty much gives everything that you could possible want from an order, loading, reporting, credits, returns, etc. Even got a call logger program, does the same, logs calls, gives you reports on the data anyway you want it, etc. I've been working on it for about a year now, and I think it's finally done, but where do you go from here? Rework it in another language?
I figure this new place is a better forum for this particular type of subject than the lounge was, but if this sounds more like a lounge thing, please move it.

Replies To: Programmer's Block

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 14 March 2008 - 11:42 AM

There is always something you can do to make your program better, something you can build on it, make more efficient, make more diverse. It's all about getting the inspiration to do whatever needs to be done as well as obtaining the motivation.

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 15 March 2008 - 05:53 AM

I too have been suffering from this since the start of this year tody4me. I program small things, enough to help with an easy question on the boards, but nothing ever motivates me anymore . Money has never been motivation for me, it is rather the ability to say I bet another so I can recieve bragging rights (I'm a competitive whore like that).

Although I did use to love helping people a year ago, it has really become a force of habit to not want to help others now because 70% of the time they don't come back to the forum / care you have taken time out of your life to help them.

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 15 March 2008 - 11:09 AM

for me its the time that matters.
hell lot of technologies to learn out there, but time sucks
some topics i have had in mind....
jquery
develop extension for firefox
write a ftp client in C#
Spring framework
helll

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 17 March 2008 - 08:22 AM

Thank you for all the posts of support.
Money never motivates me to code, it was always to make something new, to help people find what they need to find, and find it faster than some pre-configured packaged program. Now I have this massive program that runs, is efficient, and is modular. It's complete with user guide and detailed instructions. I even put in program request program in that allows a new program / project to be added to the MDI for new requests or any changes needed. I was going to add a chat program to it (kind of) and have it tell me if a user experiences an issue with a part of the program or logs to let me know how often a program would be used... but that's where I lost the motivation on this program I think.

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 17 March 2008 - 09:03 AM

Take a break from it then and work on something else. I keep a large list of misc. small projects. If I have a large project, I'll often take a break to work on something completely different for a little bit before getting back to the large one. After a while of working on the same project it probably feels like you know everything about it, and have done everything, but doing something else for a bit should clear up your head.

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 19 March 2008 - 08:05 AM

Call me strange but I am motivated by technology. There is always something that I want to get into. Most of my irritation come form the fact that I don't have the time to properly devote to the things that I want to do. THAT leads to a great deal of frustration for me. For example I got a degree in mathematics, and took a bunch of physics and have a ton on books on graphics programming... and I work for a web technologies company. I like my job... but I wish I were writing a physics engine.

But at work I get excited to work with new technologies (at least new to me) and new projects every few weeks... but I know eventually the shinny will wear off and I will find myself wishing more and more to put away the Java and get back to C++/Assembly/Math & Physics that pulled me into programming in the first place... but by then I will probably have forgotten most of the math, and assembly will truly be a lost art, and the current state of computer graphics will probably be well past my level of understanding... and I still will not have the time to devote to it.

Re: Programmer's Block

Posted 19 March 2008 - 08:14 AM

Yep, I'm wanting to start work on the new stuff (the chat portion of the program) but every time I get started, I get pulled away to take care of something else. Then by the time I can get back to it, it's time to leave for the day, or very close to it. So I say I'll get to it the next day, and it keeps on getting put off. True, I could work on it at home, but that's when I have devoted to finishing my bachelors. I think that has something to do with my lack of motivation as well, recently.